This is the ultimate indulgent breakfast, combining the rich buttery hollandaise with the sweetness of lightly-poached eggs and finishing with the crisp flavour of spinach. This is the perfect start to any day. Any purists out there know that Eggs Florentine is with Cheese Sauce. The Florentine refers to the spinach but that does not give everyone the right to introduce hollandaise it should still be mornay sauce.
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Begin by toasting your bread or muffins, this method has a number of elements, so it's best to get the simple bits out of the way first.
Clarify your butter by melting it in a pan. Once melted use a spoon to remove the foam that accumulates on the surface.
With two of your eggs: separate their yolks into a small glass bowl, the whites are unnecessary for the remainder of this recipe. Begin heating a small pan of water into which the glass-bowel will fit to form a bain marie. When this reaches the boil remove from the hob and place the glass bowl into the pan.
Begin whisking the mixture and slowly add the clarified butter - adding approx. 1tbsp of butter at a time, while constantly whisking. Once combined add more, and repeat until you're out of butter, being careful to leave the sediment at the bottom of the clarified butter out.
Mix this sauce (hollandaise) until the whisk leaves ribbons in the silky mixture, add the lemon juice and lightly season with salt and white pepper. Then set aside.
Bring a pan of water to near-boiling ready for poaching, adding a splash of vinegar. Poach the remaining eggs by forming a whirlpool in the pan - being careful not to overcook - 2-3 minutes of steady poaching should be perfect.
Meanwhile steam the spinach for approx. 4 minutes, then strain.
Butter your toast/muffins and begin to plate up in the following order: bread, spinach, eggs, hollandaise. Season with black pepper and enjoy!
Be warned: serving this dish to someone may cause them to spontaneously fall in love with you!
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